The Udari Range Experience

To get the full training experience, I just got back from 3 days, and 2 lovely nights, in the desert just a few miles south of the Iraqi border. We were organized into groups of about 35 people and we slept & had classes in the same room. There were no showers, no running water, and meals consisted of MREs (meals ready to eat). Of course, as my brother, Jim, says, the term "meals ready to eat" consists of three lies. They are neither meals, nor are they ready, nor should they be eaten.

The training consisted of more classes on convoy operations, more classes and experience in close-quarters marksmanship (think shooting while walking in a line just past the shoulder of the person in front of you), and more Humvee convoy training with explosions and people shooting tracers around us.

The training was good, but I'm not sure I needed to be sequestered in the desert to get the experience. The most important learning points were situational awareness and good communications, points that apply in every aspect of life.

Here's what else we learned: take a group of people that you've never met (OK, I do know a couple of them from med school, prior training) and put them into close quarters for a period of time and you really learn about personalities. You quickly

learn who is reliable, selfish, selfless, insecure, obnoxious, etc. This is not an officer/enlisted or male/female issue. This is an issue that crosses those lines and I think that much of it comes from how they were raised. I remember my Dad saying that the most important thing in marriage is that the two people are courteous to each other. That also applies in close quarter living. I never cease to be amazed at how self-centered people can be. Sigh.

First stop

We made it to Kuwait after a very long flight from Columbia, SC with only one stop. After weeks in an Army training environment, I was more than pleased to get on the Boeing 767 to find that Commanders and above get to sit in first class! We're here for briefs, acclimatization, and more range training (convoy training and shooting). Now, where we're staying is relatively desolate...and the range is supposed to be even more desolate. I say relatively desolate, because, really how desolate can a place be with wireless internet and a 24 hours/day Starbucks!

Most of our spare time is spent contacting family, working out, and hanging out at the USO making free phone calls to the U.S. The USO also has this wonderful service where they will record you on a DVD reading books to your kids, and then package up the same books and DVD and mail them to your kids for free. Shameless plug, if you have some extra money and want to give it to a good cause, strongly consider the USO. They provide a priceless service!

Have been able to talk with Jonah and Naomi pretty regularly. Jonah's been missing me a bit and all the technology in the world doesn't make "Daddy, come home soon" any easier to hear. I was talking with the kids on Skype tonight (I'm 7 hours ahead of the east coast) and it was obviously dark where I was and still daylight in Virginia Beach. Naomi asked the obvious question when she realized it was dark, "How did the day go so fast where you are?" I wish you could hug your kids through Skype.

Politics...because I had to get to it at some point. The reality of the war and possible 40,000 troop surge becomes all the more real when you are one short flight away from being in-country. Funny, we sit in the U.S. and interpret the news of the war through a certain set of filters. We criticize leaders as we sip our cup of coffee and opine about what should or shouldn't be done. Put on body armor and carry a weapon (and I'm a doctor for crying out loud!) and see how that may change the filters that you use for interpretation.

Packing bags

Leaving the U.S. on Saturday for a very long flight. Doing all the appropriate long-flight prep which mostly consists of making sure I have adequate reading material and that my ipod is fully loaded and charged. I also bought an adapter for my ipod that lets me recharge it with AAA batteries. Two seabags, one rucksack, one carry-on backpack. Probably around 200 pounds of stuff. Where's a sherpa when you need one?

Funny letter from my wife mentioning that our daughter was surprised to see my wife working with tools (replacing curtain rods)...b/c that was something that Daddy does.

I think I'm ready (both mentally and physically) to get this show on the road. Game on.